Wednesday, January 28, 2009

Stimulus Schmimulous

As I sit here at home a bit under the weather, I realized that I haven't said anything yet about the "stimulus" package being rammed through Congress. My own Congressman, Don Manzullo, isn't too pleased about it, and I share his disdain. My disdain grew when I realized groups like ACORN were slated to get a piece. Here's what Don had to say today . . .

“Americans have had enough of our government’s wasteful spending practices starting with the ineffective $850 billion Wall Street bailout and continuing with this $1.1 trillion non-stimulus spending spree,” Manzullo said. “Let’s empower Americans to lead the economic recovery by putting more of their money back in their pockets so they can re-invest it in our communities.”

Despite being promoted as a job-creating infrastructure bill, the bill brought by House Democrat leaders sets aside $30 billion – just 4 percent – for road funding. The State of Illinois is expected to get just $1 billion of that money, which is less than half the normal federal road money allocation to the states. In fact, the State of Illinois is still sitting on $6.2 billion in federal gas tax monies Congress gave to the state in 2005 because the state has not been able to agree on a capital plan. And because there is no opportunity to designate the road funding for specific projects, all the money will go to the state, which historically has ignored northern Illinois’ road needs outside of Chicago.

Instead, the Democrat leadership bill is chocked full of hundreds of billions of dollars of spending increases on programs that have nothing to do with stimulating the economy or creating jobs. Spending increases for these programs should be debated during the normal appropriations process, not as part of an emergency spending bill. Some of the questionable spending in the stimulus bill that doesn’t create jobs includes:

* $335 million to fight Sexually Transmitted Diseases. * $50 million for the National Endowment for the Arts. * $400 million to study climate change. * $650 million dollars for additional coupons for digital TV converter boxes, all made overseas. * $1 billion for a post-analysis of the 2010 census.

Manzullo will support an alternative bill that cuts taxes for all working Americans and would create 6.2 million jobs, twice the President’s goal. With this rate reduction, a working couple could save up to $3,400 a year in taxes they could re-invest into the economy and create jobs. Manzullo also supports significant tax incentives to encourage America’s job-creating small businesses to put Americans back to work; a $7,500 tax credit to encourage Americans to buy a home; and a $5,000 tax credit to encourage Americans to buy a new vehicle.

“The best way to stimulate our economy and put Americans back to work is to let Americans keep more of their hard-earned money so they can re-invest it back into the economy,” Manzullo said. “Unfortunately, the bill presented to us by House Democrats today spends an enormous amount of money with little job creation, shouldering our children and grandchildren with massive debt in the future.”

The simple fact is that both sides of the aisle have had their share of pork barrel legislation over the years. But this is ridiculous. It's sickening. To cram this kind of nonsense into a bill that is supposed to help rescue the economy is unconscionable. But the Democrats see this as their chance to move on a whole host of things they've wanted to impose on the American people, including becoming a carbon copy of socialist Europe if not worse. We asked for it, and we're going to get it. It seems unstoppable.

The Democrats control both houses of Congress and the White House. In the Senate, there are just enough liberal Republicans to vote with the Democrats to defeat any effort to stop it there. The only thing that will stop it is if enough Americans get mad and act. I have my doubts about that happening, because way too many people have been conditioned to feed at the fat teats of the pig.

Love you dearly, but if you're going to bother to comment, why not post something worthwhile and cogent instead of just broadsides? Did I make that kind of argument? Hardly. In fact, I will be the first to say the GOP blew it when it had the presidency and both houses of Congress, spending like drunken sailors. I've said it before, in fact.

Joel Griffith

I have been involved in media since 1978, primarily radio. Full time Christian ministry since 1988, including radio, apologetics, written publications, preaching and teaching. Why do I go by Solameanie online? Long story.
Follow me on Twitter. @solameanie

Site Guidelines

1. On-topic comments and questions are welcomed and encouraged. Off-topic comments may be deleted.

2. Obscene/profane/abusive language, or other inappropriate material, will be deleted on sight and the commenters banned. I don't mind discussion or debate, but keep it civil. My patience with smart-alecks and trolls tends to run very thin.

3. No posting of unwanted ads. They'll be deleted immediately.

4. If you are going to comment, no "anonymous" please. Those types of comments will also get zapped. If you can't reveal your identity because of some security or sensitivity issue, shoot me an email and we'll dialogue there - within my time constraints.